Cholesterol is essential for life - it's a required for the regulation of membrane fluidity. Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for many other biochemical pathways. Cholesterol is synthesized throughout the body but mainly in liver, intestines, adrenal glands and reproductive organs. Synthesis starts with the combination of Acetyl-CoA and Acetoacetyl-CoA. An important intemediary in the synthesis of cholesterol is mevalonate. Synthesis of cholesterol is regulated by a homeostatic mechanism.

Authors

Susan Coort , Unknown , I450472 , Kristina Hanspers , Martina Summer-Kutmon , Christine Chichester , and Egon Willighagen

Cited In

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Organism

Rattus norvegicus

Communities

Annotations

Pathway Ontology: cholesterol metabolic pathway arterial occlusive disease pathway

Participants

References

1. Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates the farnesylation of RAS in embryonic chick heart cells: a new role for ras in regulating the expression of muscarinic receptors and G proteins. Gadbut AP, Wu L, Tang D, Papageorge A, Watson JA, Galper JB. EMBO J. 1997 Dec 15;16(24):7250–60. PubMed Europe PMC Scholia
2. Improvement of Endothelial Function by HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors. Wassmann S, Nickenig G. Drug News Perspect. 2002 Mar;15(2):85–92. PubMed Europe PMC Scholia